Nut lock



June 2.9 1926. v 1,590,888'

C. :UNN|NGHAMl NUT LOCK Filed April l, 1924 mil f ,..wl ff Arunlllllll. f3

Z4 3 num Hoz Patented .inne w25.

g Unirse srssss sessies NUT LUCK.

l Application ed April i, 15M. Serie lio. 763,516.

My invention relates to e device for securely locking e nut on n threaded boit so that the nut cannot unscrew unless forcible means ere. applied to remove the lock.

One object of the present invention iste provide o. positive lock that can he applied with. the nut in any position on the holt. in'

vice out more particularly intended for the use by reilrouds hoth on the rolling stock and the permanent way. In this use of the nut lock it tends to nia-ke ,railroad traveling very safe as it is e Weil known fact that loosened hoits on the railroad tracks often are the cause of serious sccidents.4 it is evident that o nut lock uhet loosens ever `so little becomes ineeetive end weakens the structure upon which it hes been applied. The nut, forming the subject metter of the present invention, on the other hand7 con be depended upon to stay in locked position Without further attention or tightening at any nimo.

in the accompanying drawing one embodiment of the invention is illustrated, end-a Figure l is e transverse section ci' e squarev nut and boit with the locking device in'po- Figure 2 is a vienr similar to Fig. l showing a hexagonal nut;

Figure 3 is e section along iine 3-3 of Fig. 2;

Figure s. is e perspective view of the lock-- ing Wedge, and

Figure 5 is s iront eievstion of the nut and lock.

In the drawing, reference numeral l0 represents s bolt, reference numeral i e square nut and reference nurnerull s, hexagonal nut. the locking device is the seme whether a square, hexagonal or any other shape nut is used, it will he sucient to describe the lock in connection with s hexe gonal nut, :is indicated in Figs, 2, 3, 4 and 5.

rhe wedge 'i3 has two plain faces le converging from the outer end ci the Wedge tol form a sharp edge l5, yihe top end bottoni feces 16 of the Wedge are'slso piain and may be psrailel or, es indicated in Fig. 4, also converging towards the edge l5. Neer the heavy or outer end of the Wedge each fece le is provided with s groove 17 running' parallel to the end face 'i8 oi' the Wedge. These grooves constitute gripping recesses for removing the 'wedge from the nut. Trans versely through the Wedge is formed en epei-ure 19 the use of which will he described further on. y A. seat 20 is provided for the Wedge in the nut l2. This seat preerebiy enters the nut through one of the corners thereof and runs" in redini direction into the. here of the' nut. ln some ossei-3, however, it'may De preiierahie to position the seat' in one of the fiat, sides oi the nut. The entering of the seat 20 through. one or the corners of the. nut hes, however, the advantage of requiring s shorter Cotter pin 2i 'for locking the key in position and in addition permits the eines of the cotter key to have their free end portions' turned back against the side oi' the nut end very securely hold the cotter key in piace. the corner portion of the nut and register 'with the aperture i9 in the Wedge when the latter is in position in the seat 20. rEhe sent is' tapered throughout e portion of its length to correspond with lehe Wedge i3 but is slightly Wider at its inner end than the corresponding Width of the Wedge so es to provide space et opposite sides of the inner end portions of the Wedge as shown et 23. The Wedge is mede of hard'steei and its sharp edge l5 is of suiiicient width no engage et leest two of the threads of the holt. By having the inner end oilthe wedge spaced from the walls of the seat erm es provided into which che metal of the holt threads may Suitable apertures 22 are formed in S MIG bulge when the Wedge is driven into piece.

@n each side of the outer end or the seat 20 in the nut is formed n small recess 2d pro vided for the purpose of sccominodeting the oints of s pair of jpincers adapted to engsge 1n the grooves 17 when the Wedge is te loe removed from the nurI the grooves 17 registering with the recesses 2r, as shown in Figs.I 1 and 2.

When the nut hes heen drawn up tightiy on the holt, the wedge 13 is inserted in its seat. By means of e herd blow on the-end face 18 of the Wedge, the same is driven tightly into its seat while the sharp edge 15 cuts into the threads of the bolt, preferably to the bottom thereof, in which position the opening 19 registers with the openings 22.,

A fastener such as the cotter pin 21, is then inserted through the apertures 19 and 22 and the protruding free end portions of its arms are spread apart to prevent it from sliding out of place. It will now be evident that the Cotter pin prevents the wedge from slipping out of its seat so that the engagement between the edge 15 thereof and the threads of the holt is permanent and secure.

1f the nut is to be removed, the ends vof the cotter pin 21 are first straightened out or broken off. The cotter pin is thereupon drawn out from the apertures 19 and 22 and finally the wedge removed by gripping the same by a pair of pincel-s engaging in'the grooves 17, room being provided for the pincers to enter the groovesv because of the recesses 2lifornied near the seat 21. ll'hen the nut thereupon is loosened, the burs on. the bolt threads will be sheared olf.

In cases where it is necessary to occasionally remove the nut and reset it, it may be given a harder temper than the bolt sothat it canreadily shear the hurs on the bolt threads when being turned. In this manner, the threads will be dressed every time the nut is turned. The wedgeshould preferably be of harder material than the bolt in all instances.

Having thus described the invention7 what is claimed as new is:

l. A nut lock structure comprising a nut having a threaded bore adapted to receive a threaded bolt, said nut having a radially directed seat rectangular in cross section and opening into the bolt receiving bore of the nut and having its outer end portion enside faces of its outer end portion provided with grooves disposed in facing relation to the recesses at the outer end of the seat when the wedge is inserted in the seat and driven into biting engagement With the bolt, and means to secure the Wedge in the seat.

2. The combination with a bolt, of a polygonal nut threaded thereon and having a. seat extending radial to the axis of its bolt opening and communicating at its `inner end with said holt opening, and, at its outer end, opening through the sideof the nut at the juncture of two relatively adjacent faces of the nut, the said faces at opposite sides of the seat, being formed with recesses and with openings extending in'alinement, transverse- 'ly of the seat, a wedge tting within the seat and having .its opposite side faces meeting to provide a sharp edge penetrating the thread of the bolt,` the thicker end of the `Wedge substantially filling the outer end of the seat and being beveled to provide face portions Hush with the said relatively adjacent faces of the nut, the Wedge at its said thicker end, having a transverse opening, and a securing element fitted through the alined openings in the nut and the opening in the wedge7 the said opposite side faces of the Wedge, at the thicker end of the Wedge, having grooves therein presented within the recesses in the faces of the nut.

1n testimony whereof I aiiix 1n v signature.

ConWrN o. CUNNINGHAM. [n 5.] 

